Church of St Donatus

The Church of St Donatus is the iconic image of Zadar — a tall, round, almost windowless drum of pale stone, rising in three storeys from the corner of the Roman forum. It is one of the most important pre-Romanesque buildings in the eastern Adriatic and the largest of its type along the Croatian coast.

Inside, the space is austere and lofty, with three apses arranged around a central circle and a gallery overhead. The acoustics are extraordinary; if a concert is scheduled during your visit, go. Tickets sell out, especially in July and August.

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A story
St Donatus was built around 810 AD using stone scavenged from the Roman forum on which it sits — you can still see column drums and inscribed altars embedded in the foundations. The church has not held regular services for centuries, but it is acoustically remarkable and is now used as a venue for early-music concerts during the summer Musical Evenings in St Donatus festival.

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